Part 58
Arun came jumping down the stairs, asking "Perima are you ready?" His voice brought both of them back to the present. "Just 2 minutes" Riddhima shouted back and both of them started to change. Riddhima was ready in five minutes flat, unbelievably fast for a lady. She was so used to draping the saree, it really didn't take more than 2 minutes. Moreover the saree that her athaan had picked today was a chiffon one, so it fell easily too.
As she combed her hair, her athaan came from behind and holding her by the waist said, "leave it loose." She didn't want to reject his request, but wasn't sure how she'd manage it.
R: I've never let it loose. It'll fly and become shabby in no time.
A: Give it a try.
She couldn't deny her athaan anything. So she just put a clips above her ears to hold the hair in place, and left it open. Going to the family room, where the boys were seated watching TV, Armaan called out "Come on, we're ready." Karan was hunting for the remote, but Arun gasped seeing Riddhima and said "What have you done perima?" When she looked embarrassed and grumbled to Armaan "I told you", Arun continued "You look 20 years younger. Doesn't she bro?"
Karan looked up having switched off the TV and said with a smile, "Really she looks like our sister rather than our perima." "Not just our sister bro, she looks like your younger sister" Arun teased his brother. Karan just glared at Arun who was rolling over with laughter but Riddhima said "Come on you two, stop pulling my leg."
Karan came over and putting his arm over her shoulder said "Honestly perima, jokes apart, you're looking very pretty." "Typical Indian beauty" Arun joined in putting his arms around her from the other side. Riddhima stood blushing between the two unaware of the looks her athaan was giving her.
A: Are you guys planning to stand here all day admiring your perima? Shall we drop the plans of going out then?
All three of them were surprised to hear Armaan so irritated. "Was he back to his old self ? Was all the sweet talk he did earlier only an act for perima's benefit?" Arun wondered. But thought it better to obey him so moved towards the garage. Armaan walked towards his car and Karan towards his. "Why take two cars dad? We'll go in mine." Karan called out. So all of them walked to Karan's car.
Just as Karan opened the driver seat door, Arun yanked him away saying "Bro I never knew you had bought a new car. Please let me drive." Karan just shrugged his shoulder and moved to the passenger seat. But before he could enter Arun called out to Riddhima who was about to enter the back seat, saying "Perima come and sit beside me. See how well I drive." Holding the door open for his perima, Karan moved to sit behind with his dad and answering Arun's question said "We thought with the baby's car seat etc., a bigger car would be better. I got a good deal on this one."
Fixing his perima's seat belt which was getting entangled in her saree pallu, Arun asked "Perima, are you set for a speed drive?" and started off in top speed. When Armaan said "Arun there's no need for all the show off, we just want to be in one piece. When you are with your friends, drive as you please, maybe even breaking the speed limits." That comment didn't go well with Arun, while Riddhima began thinking why her athaan was sounding so angry. Anyone could see that Arun was only fooling and trying to scare her.
Immediately slowing down, Arun retorted "Accidents can happen even to the most careful drivers. Even fatal ones." Now Riddhima was angry. Surely, it wasn't right on Arun's part to taunt his dad like that. Instantly the words "that's enough Arun," came to her mouth. She could very well guess that the boys blamed their father for their mother's death. But no one actually knew what had happened that day and how the accident had occurred. After that there was complete silence in the car.
Arun parked the car to the side and was about to open the door. But she held his hand and said "I understand kanna, it was a great loss for you, but it was his loss too. You shouldn't blame him kanna. It was God's will. Our death date is destined the day we are born. You all should be consoling each other instead." Seeing the tears running down his cheek, she said "Cry as much as you want and get it all out of your system; the sorrow and the bitterness." He held her hand and kissing it said "Your words are a balm to the deepest scars. I'm sure we'll all heal soon, with your love."
Riddhima beamed at him and pulling his head kissed his forehead. Then turning around hearing sniffs from the back seat she said "Come on cheer up everybody. I didn't know that my family had such cranky males." That got all of them smiling and Arun set the car in motion.
Riddhima was astounded by the size of the mall as they took her around each section and was soon tired too. Arun offered to go and get a wheelchair for her, but she pulled them to the billing section having picked up a few groceries etc. saying it was lunchtime. Only then she turned around looking for her athaan but couldn't spot him. When she turned to the boys asking "Where's your dad?" they were also unaware of his whereabouts. She requested Karan to call his father and ask where he was. She felt the mobile ringing in her bag. Only then she remembered that after talking to Bharati, she had put his mobile in her bag.
She got panicky though the boys told her not to worry. There was a long queue at the counter. She asked the boys to pay the bill and come while she went outside to look for her athaan. But Karan asked Arun to go with her. They headed out to where the car was parked but he was nowhere around. Now she was nearly in tears. Arun started grumbling "How could he walk off like that without informing us?" Suddenly they saw him coming from the rear of the building with a few empty cartons in his hand.
She literally ran to him and hugged him not minding the lookers-on. Armaan dropped the cartons immediately and hugging her tight asked in a concerned voice "What happened Riddhima? Are you ok?" Arun, who had followed her, picked up the dropped cartons and took them to the car. Having got a control over her emotions, Riddhima asked angrily "Where did you go off without telling me?"
A: I told you I was going to get the cartons. But you had ears only for what your sons were saying. From the time they've come your athaan has taken a backseat, literally.
He started laughing at his own joke but Riddhima looked at him slyly and said "I think I can see some green glow around." That really embarrassed him. Putting his arms around her shoulder he said "Don't be silly. Would I be jealous of my own sons?" But in her heart Riddhima thought "Men are such babies. They want to be the centre of attention of their loved ones, all the time." But she just laughed along with him. There, the brothers were smiling at the emotional drama unfolding before their eyes. "She's really one of a kind isn't she?" asked the elder and the younger just nodded in assent.
Without much ado both the brothers took the front seat, Karan taking the wheel, leaving all the drama for the backseat. Looking through the rear view glass Karan saw both of them all smiles. He indicated it with his eyes to his brother and both of them just shook their head.
They headed straight to Saravana Bhavan, to an authentic south Indian fare. Dosa, vada, rasam, kesari (sooji halwa), everything was very tasty. And the tasty food put everybody in a good mood. The earlier anger, all forgotten. On reaching home, Armaan and Riddhima went for a short nap, while the boys headed upstairs with the empty cartons.
When Armaan went upstairs after an hour, they were done with their own rooms and looking through their mummy's things. When they saw their dad there Karan asked "Dad what do you plan to do with all these clothes?" "I was planning to donate the western clothes to some charity. But I don't know what I should do with the salwar suits and sarees. I was thinking of asking Bharati what to do."
Arun: That's a very good idea but mummy has collected so many knick knacks also.
K: Actually you could even ask Kalpana perima if she'd like to have something, as a memory of her sister.
A: Actually, I was planning to visit them this weekend. I'll talk to her and see if they could come over instead.
Having taken a look at the stacks and stacks of things piled on the floor in both their rooms Armaan sighed "There is so much to be discarded." "Closing down a house is more difficult than setting up one" they heard Riddhima remark as she entered with a tray of coffee. "Perima, why did you carry this up? Should have called out to me na?"
Offering each one a mug she said "It's ok, it wasn't very heavy." Sipping the coffee Armaan said "For the time being keep the Indian clothes in the cupboard, I'll see what to do with them." When Arun said "Perima, see if you'd like to keep any of these sarees" everyone around was silent. Without realizing this he continued "don't you ever wear salwar suits Perima?" When she shook her head, he asked "Why?"
R: I was married at the age of 16. From then on I've worn only saree. In our village salwar kameez was unheard of, till a few years back. Even now married woman in our village don't wear it.
Arun: I don't believe this. You were married at the age of 16? And how old was dad?
A: 21
Arun: No wonder your marriage didn't work out. You were both so young and immature.
Karan was shocked to hear Arun's inconsiderate remark, while Armaan looked to see what Riddhima's reaction was. But he was stunned to see her smiling at Arun. Then she very calmly said "You are wrong kanna, our marriage had stood the test of time. Inspite of all the ups and downs, we are still married after almost 30 years. These days couples court for 5 years to know each other, live together for another few years, to give married life a trial and even after that, when they get married they can't stick together for even 30 days. Isn't that strange?"
Arun immediately realized his mistake and apologized, "Sorry perima, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She hugged him saying "It's ok kanna, I don't get easily hurt. I've heard much more hurtful remarks, in the past." Hearing that, Karan felt very bad for his perima. He could understand what she must have gone through and that too all because of his dad's fault. Her only fault had been her unconditional love for her athaan.
His feeling for this innocent woman made him speak for her. This was also an opportunity for him to indirectly convey to his dad that he still hadn't forgiven him for his perima's sufferings. He might donated his kidney and saved her life, but had he not put her through all the sufferings and torture of the society, she might not have become diabetic at such an early age in the first place, he thought. So he said "Yes perima, what you say is cent percent correct. But you must also accept one thing, marriages in your generation lasted for lifetime only because the woman adapted themselves totally to their husband and in-laws, forgetting their own identity. But today's girls are not like that and they shouldn't be too. Each and every person should uphold his/her individual identity. In what way is a woman less than a man in any respect? So why she sacrifice her dreams and aspirations?"
R: I also totally agree with you. There's no need for anyone to give up their dreams and aspirations. On the contrary each one should strive to fulfill the other's dream more than their own. That's what marriage is about. Accepting and honoring your spouse's wishes more than your own. According to me that's true love not sacrifice."
Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon
Cricket
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Forum Games
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
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